Cybercriminals are using compromised Twitter accounts to spam out information-gathering websites to unknowing users.

The attack starts with compromised Twitter accounts. The accounts are used to send out Direct Messages to the followers of the users who own the compromised accounts.

The Direct Message—which is basically the Twitter counterpart of a private message—contains a link to what looks like an IQ test website:

An IQ test may seem harmless but the last thing asked for in the test is no longer an answer but the respondent’s mobile number. Though the real motive for this scheme is unclear, we believe that this was set up to gather mobile numbers from unknowing users to become potential targets for SMS spam or other mobile-related attack.

Users are strongly advised to refrain from clicking the links contained in similar Direct Messages that they may encounter even if the person who sent the DM is a known user. On the other hand, those users who think that their accounts may be one of those compromised should change their passwords as soon as possible.

Update as of 08:49 P.M. “Users who do give out their mobile phone numbers may end up being billed at least US$10 a month for text messages,” says KOMO News. Though not every online IQ test will charge you, most are just there to scam unwitting users. Keep in mind that if a test asks for your mobile phone number, it is looking for a way to bill your mobile phone account. If the quiz looks like it came from someone in your Twitter account then a hacker must have hijacked other people’s accounts to make you think you are getting a message from someone you know.

Update as of November 13, 10:52 A.M. This attack do not simply harvest the affected users’ numbers but signed up their mobile for an auto-renewing subscription as described in the terms and conditions.

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Thursday, November 12th, 2009
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